Karl Pillemer Explained

Karl Pillemer
Birth Date:15 October 1954
Birth Place:Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Known For:Research in gerontology, founder of The Legacy Project
Alma Mater:Boston University
Brandeis University
Fields:Sociology, gerontology
Workplaces:University of New Hampshire, Cornell University
Spouse:Clare McMillan
Children:2

Karl Andrew Pillemer (born October 15, 1954) is an American sociologist and gerontologist who is the Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development at Cornell University,[1] and Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. His research focuses on intergenerational relations in later life, long-term care for frail and disabled older persons, and social engagement and involvement of older persons. Pillemer is the founder of the Cornell Legacy Project,[2] which since 2004 has collected accounts of the life wisdom of over 2,000 older Americans, and the Cornell Family Reconciliation Project, which researches family estrangement.

Early life

Pillemer was born on October 15, 1954, to Jean Burrell Pillemer and Louis Pillemer,[3] an early pioneer in the field of immunology at Case Western Reserve University. After the death of his father when Pillemer was three years old, his grandmother moved in with the family; Pillemer attributes his close relationship with her as a main source of his eventual career in gerontology.

Career

Pillemer received his B.A. from Boston University in 1977[4] and received his M.A. from Brandeis University in 1980, followed by his Ph.D. from there in 1985. In his Ph.D. dissertation work he collaborated with Rosalie S. Wolf in one of the earliest[5] [6] large-scale studies of programs to prevent and treat elder abuse and neglect.[7] He moved to the University of New Hampshire in 1985, where he trained with Murray A. Straus and David Finkelhor, directing a large-scale population survey that established initial prevalence rates for the abuse and neglect of older persons.[8] [9] During this time, he carried out a prevalence survey of elder abuse in nursing homes that showed the high extent of this problem.[10] [11] Pillemer also began his career-long program of research on improving care in nursing homes, authoring five books that have been used in the nursing home industry.[12] Pillemer moved to Cornell University in 1990, where he is a full professor. Over the past 25 years at Cornell, he has conducted empirical research and intervention studies in the area of intergenerational relations. A theoretical and empirical focus of his work has been reviving the concept of ambivalence and applying it to parent-child relations in later life.[13]

The Legacy Project

In 2004, Pillemer described becoming discouraged with the degree to which his research focused exclusively on "the problems of older people and older people as problems."[14] Influenced by concerns about growing ageism and age segregation in contemporary society, he began a series of studies designed to tap the practical life wisdom of older people.[15] Over the ensuing decade, he conducted surveys and in-depth interview studies of over 2,000 older Americans, systematically collecting their advice for living in a number of domains, including career, marriage, child-rearing, avoiding regrets, and aging well.[16] These studies form the largest data set ever assembled of the advice of older people,[17] and included a survey of the advice for love and marriage of 700 long-married elders.[18] The research resulted in two popular books: 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans and 30 Lessons for Loving: Advice from the Wisest Americans on Love, Relationships, and Marriage. Based on this research, Pillemer has worked internationally to promote the role of older people as sources of practical advice and encouraged both individuals and organizations to incorporate elder wisdom into daily life. The Legacy Project has been featured in multiple media.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

The Cornell Family Reconciliation Project

Pillemer is the founder of the Cornell Family Reconciliation Project, which conducted the first national survey on family estrangement. Pillemer published a book, Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them, that details the results of this ground-breaking study and includes rich, in-depth interviews with hundreds of people who have experienced family estrangement, as well as insights from leading family researchers and therapists. The book combines the advice of family members who have successfully reconciled with powerful insights from social science research to offer a unique guide to mending families fractured by estrangement.  

Personal life

Pillemer is married to Clare McMillan. They have two children, film producer Hannah Pillemer[24] (1981) and neuropsychologist Sarah Pillemer[25] (1987), and three grandchildren, Clare and Thomas (2016), and Mark (2022).

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Karl Pillemer. 30 December 2016.
  2. Web site: The Legacy Project. The Legacy Project. en-US. 2016-12-30.
  3. Ratnoff. William Davis. 2015-01-07. A War with the Molecules: Louis Pillemer and the History of Properdin. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. 23. 4. 638–657. 10.1353/pbm.1980.0036. 7010302. 1529-8795.
  4. Web site: Karl Pillemer, Professor of Gerontology in Medicine. VIVO, Weill Cornell Medical College. 31 December 2016.
  5. Book: 1. Introduction Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America The National Academies Press. 10.17226/10406. 22812026. 2003. 978-0-309-08434-5. National Research Council (US) Panel to Review Risk Prevalence of Elder Abuse Neglect. Bonnie. R. J.. Wallace. R. B..
  6. Book: Elder Abuse: Conflict in the Family. Pillemer. Karl. Wolf. Rosalie S.. 1986-09-30. Praeger. 9780865691346. Dover, Mass.. English. registration.
  7. Book: Helping Elderly Victims: The Reality of Elder Abuse (Columbia Studies of Social Gerontology and Aging): 9780231064842. Rosalie S.. Wolf. Karl A.. Pillemer. 978-0231064842. 1989. Columbia University Press. registration.
  8. Cooper. Claudia. Selwood. Amber. Livingston. Gill. 2008-03-01. The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect: a systematic review. Age and Ageing. en. 37. 2. 151–160. 10.1093/ageing/afm194. 0002-0729. 18349012. free.
  9. Pillemer. Karl. Finkelhor. David. 1988-02-01. The Prevalence of Elder Abuse: A Random Sample Survey. The Gerontologist. en. 28. 1. 51–57. 10.1093/geront/28.1.51. 0016-9013. 3342992.
  10. Kamavarapu. Y. S.. Ferriter. Michael. Morton. S.. Völlm. B.. 2017-02-01. Institutional abuse – Characteristics of victims, perpetrators and organisations: A systematic review. European Psychiatry. 40. 45–54. 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.07.002. 27837673. 39356961.
  11. Pillemer. Karl. Moore. David W.. 1989-06-01. Abuse of Patients in Nursing Homes: Findings from a Survey of Staff. The Gerontologist. en. 29. 3. 314–320. 10.1093/geront/29.3.314. 0016-9013. 2788108.
  12. Book: Solving the Frontline Crisis in Long-Term Care: A Practical Guide to Finding and Keeping Quality Nursing Assistants: 9780965362900: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com. 978-0965362900. Pillemer. Karl A.. 1996. Frontline Publishing Corporation .
  13. Luescher. Kurt. Pillemer. Karl. 1998-01-01. Intergenerational Ambivalence: A New Approach to the Study of Parent-Child Relations in Later Life. 353858. Journal of Marriage and Family. 60. 2. 413–425. 10.2307/353858. 10.1.1.461.6882.
  14. News: Why you should really start talking to old people more. 2016-03-20. 2016-12-30.
  15. News: Elderly 'Experts' Share Life Advice in Cornell Project. Brody. Jane E.. 2012-01-09. The New York Times. 0362-4331. 2016-12-30.
  16. Pillemer . Karl . Lessons for living: The Legacy Project collects and disseminates elder wisdom . Journal on Active Aging . 10 . 5 . September 2011 . 38 .
  17. Bearon. Luci. 2014-03-07. Gerontologists and the Real People We Study: Honoring the Lived Experience and Expertise of Elders. The Gerontologist. 54. 2. en. 327–329. 10.1093/geront/gnu007. 0016-9013. free.
  18. News: The secret to a long-lasting marriage. Antoniades. Christina Breda. 2016-02-09. The Washington Post. en-US. 0190-8286. 2016-12-30.
  19. Web site: New Book Illustrates Life Lessons From an Older Generation. PBS Newshour. 31 December 2016. 2012-01-05.
  20. News: Brody. Jane E.. Advice From Life's Graying Edge on Finishing With No Regrets. The New York Times. 31 December 2016. 2012-01-09.
  21. Web site: Secrets to a successful marriage from 700 retirees. CBS News. 31 December 2016.
  22. Web site: Hellmich. Nanci. Hundreds of retirees share secrets to a happy marriage. USA TODAY. 31 December 2016.
  23. Barker. Eric. Important Life Lessons: What's The Most Important Life Lesson Older People Feel You Must Know?. TIME. Time Inc.. 31 December 2016.
  24. Web site: Hannah Pillemer. IMDb. 2016-12-30.
  25. Pillemer. Sarah. Holtzer. Roee. Blumen. Helena M.. 2016-04-12. Functional connectivity associated with social networks in older adults: A resting-state fMRI study. Social Neuroscience. 12. 3. 242–252. 10.1080/17470919.2016.1176599. 1747-0919. 27072369. 5293673.

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